--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Baggarley, Maud collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 10 number: 5 published: 1907-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Baggarley, Maud, "The Test of Life: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 10, no. 5 (March 1907): 366.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1005unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1005unse start_page: 366 end_page: 366 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1907-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1005unse publication_year: 1907 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1907, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Test of Life: A Poem 366 IMPROVEMENT ERA. could become like his father if he would face the evil with an in- vincible determination to succeed; and she longed for him to renew faith in himself, and brmg to her sad home a great Christmas blessing. Henry was sure he knew the burden of his mother's thoughts. He silently drew his arm from hers and walked slowly to the oppo- site side of the grave. He saw Dick wiping the fresh tears from his cheek, and Mack gazing thoughtfully at the lifeless mound; he saw his mother and sister standing arm in arm,—sad, alone, as though deprived of his strength to sustain them; he saw, thrown clearly on the grave by the bright Christmas sunshine, his own shadow—the shadow of a stalwart man! Had he, then, merely the appearance of strong manhood? Was there not, somewhere within that manly form, a power equal to the present burden? He walked back to his mother and sister. Then, as though answering the thoughts of his mother, he took their hands in his, and said, with a determination they could not doubt, —with an earnestness which gave them, even in this sorrowful moment, a joy they had net felt in many long, long months, —in words, calm, but rising from a power he had never known, — "Rachel, mother:—I can;—I will!" [the end,] Pocatello, Idaho. ' THE TEST OF LIFE. (For the Improvement Era.) 'Tis easy to die like a hero, when the blood is at fever heat, Quickened to lust of battle by bugle and marching feet. We honor the martial enlistment, when glory calleth to strife; A heroic deed is applauded, but 'tis not the test of life. But to heed the heart's low voice, though the spirit of pleasure be rife, And to siand, if needs be, alone, is a surer test of life. And to fulfill a humble mission, ever true to duty's call, Doing each day one's very best, is the truest test of all. Maud Baggarley. Waterloo, Utah.